spider sandwiches
IN KEEPING WITH OUR EASY HALLOWEEN FOOD IDEAS theme, today’s spider sandwich is so simple and surprisingly sturdy that they make great snacks or lunches on the go. I know this because George, my two-year-old, reached up and grabbed the container ours were stored in no less than five times before we got out the…
Slow Cooker Potato Soup with Cheddar Cheese & Bacon
IT’S SOUP SEASON! With brisk evenings coming closer, days getting shorter and still not a full night’s sleep in sight, this new mom thought it was time to give my ol’ slow cooker another try. Inspired by 100 Days of Real Cooking, we made our own version of a thick and rich soup that our kids actually loved….
Apple Sandwich, a recipe excerpt from “100 Days of Real Food”
{Reprinted with permission from “100 Days of Real Food” by Lisa Leake} If you’re looking for a way to make over your kid’s lunch (or your own!), here’s the answer. Sandwiches are no longer a bore if you just switch out the regular bread and use Cinnamon-Raisin Quick Bread, waffles, or even apples! Apple sandwiches…
shrimp, feta & corn pizza
I KNOW, I KNOW. What’s wrong with pepperoni? Not single a thing. We just happen to have a 5-year-old major shrimp lover at our house, so when I saw a similar idea in a magazine recently, I gave it a shot. As usual, the adults liked it more than the kids, except for the one, but…
Very Pickly Egg Salad
I NEVER LIKED EGG SALAD GROWING UP. But our kids totally love it, especially this way. Inexpensive, simple and even considered “brain food“, I’m happy to whip up a batch of egg salad once every couple of weeks. Our favorite ways to serve these sandwiches are simply on whole wheat bread, cut into quarters or…
baby carrots in pots, a step-by-step tutorial
COMBINING CUTE IDEAS WITH FRESH VEGETABLES is just about the best. These carrots are one more super simple way to get kids eating more veggies. Here’s just how you do it. 1. Gather your materials. Baby carrots, preferably the thick kind (some are whittled extra thin) Curly parsley Toothpick Terra cotta pots (mine are actually a…
how to make hens out of hard boiled eggs
I KNOW, I KNOW. I just said no thanks to any projects that make me feel worse about myself than the crafting boards on Pinterest already do. But as we continue our internet-inspired Easter roundup, I’m happy to report these little chicks are surprisingly simple to make. True story. And if I can do it, you can too. Here’s a…
spinach wraps 2 ways for st. patrick’s day
WHO KNEW THE EASIEST WAY TO RING IN ST. PATRICK’S DAY was found in a package of spinach wraps? I bought a simple bag of 6 sandwich wraps from the grocery store then made two things today. The first was lunch. My preschoolers (ages 4 and 3) were surprisingly thrilled with their green roll-ups. “Ooooh, it’s…
a new spin on white bean hummus: add avocado
IN HONOR OF LITTLE LEPRECHAUNS EVERYWHERE, and the parents who just wish they’d eat a few more veggies, we turned our new favorite dip a new shade…green. Faster than you can say, “Is that food coloring?” we simply threw a ripe avocado into the mixer as we ground up our white bean hummus with lemon….
very green broccoli mac & cheese
YES I PUT BROCCOLI (AND SPINACH) IN THE MAC & CHEESE BUT HEAR ME OUT. When Estelle turned three she actually asked for this dish to be served for her birthday lunch with friends. Despite a pretty serious invasion of vegetables, this stuff is very tasty. Downright company-worthy. Especially when you’re two going on three….
kid-friendly mini reuben sandwiches (a step-by-step recipe)
IT’S NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT HOLIDAY, BUT ST. PATRICK’S DAY can be really fun. Especially if you’re four, three or even one–and there’s special food on the menu. Bonus, these mini reuben sandwiches aren’t limited to leprechaun season so you can make them, and kids will love them, any time. The ingredients might surprise you, especially the sauerkraut,…
maple syrup sweetened chocolate cake & 5 things I learned about throwing kids’ parties
WHEN I ASKED ESTELLE WHAT SHE WANTED for her 3rd birthday, she said, “chocolate cake with chocolate frosting”. Okay, then I explained that she could ask for presents too, like at Christmas time. “Oh!,” she said. “And a chocolate bear.” That’s what she got in her stocking, apparently making quite an impression–more so than the…
mini mac & cheese cups (with carrots too)
LAST WEEK WE HAD A BIRTHDAY PARTY LUNCH for 6 preschoolers to celebrate Estelle’s 3rd birthday–and at the birthday girl’s request, these mac & cheese mini cups were the main course. Like our broccoli & cheese pasta cups, they’re essentially macaroni and cheese (with a built-in veggie) to go. And like our broccoli & cheese pasta…
sandwiches on a stick
FOOD ON A STICK has got to be the easiest way to make food fun. (Except for maybe making parfaits with yogurt, chili, whatever…but I digress!) It was our turn to bring the preschool snack again and we picked these little sandwiches on a stick, which could certainly work for lunch too. I liked that we…
little things that work: simple Christmas shapes for sandwiches
ALL YOU NEED IS ONE BIG COOKIE CUTTER plus five spare seconds and lunch will be served with an equally large smile. (Save the outside of the bread to make eggs-in-the-hole later in the week. Another smile, coming right up.) I have a gingerbread, a snowflake (a ghost and a pumpkin too) and doing this one…
chicken soup with noodles
I HAD TO PHONE A FRIEND FOR THIS ONE. Last night was a much needed ladies’ night for myself and the first friend I made in North Carolina, an outsider like me, only Therese came to Durham from Switzerland. She’s also the mother of three, two girls and one boy, but hers are older and…
spicy pasta with chicken, spinach and goat cheese
I’M BREAKING A PRETTY BIG RULE HERE. The idea of making two meals, one for the kids and another for the adults, is just too exhausting for me to even consider on most days. But for our Halloween lunch, I decided to spare the moms those mummy turkey dogs. Instead we adapted a recipe from…
halloween party food for preschoolers
SHHH. SINCE WE’RE NEW TO THE U.S. this year, we’re skipping trick-or-treating…because our kids don’t really know what it is. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to dress up! So we had four friends over on Friday–a ballerina princess, a super hero, a unicorn-pegasus and a fairy princess, plus Pooh and Piglet (Tigger was…
spooky spider eggs
THIS IS MY SECOND FAVORITE PINTEREST IDEA, from our Healthy-ish Halloween Ideas for Kids board. Like the string cheese witches’ brooms, they’re absolutely adorable but also…shockingly easy. My girls are egg people. They love eggs. Hard boiled eggs. Egg salad sandwiches. Scrambled eggs. So I knew this would be a hit. And it was. For…